Sinn Féin - On Your Side

Community and voluntary sector must not be used or abused

Sinn Féin health spokesperson John O'Dowd has said that while he welcomes
today's statement from direct-rule minister Paul Goggins that the role of
the community and voluntary sector will be strengthened as health and social
service reforms take effect, he said it is important that the role is
clearly defined.

Mr O'Dowd said:

"Without any doubt, the community and voluntary sector has played a valuable
role in delivering valuable and excellent services to communities across the
North. However, it must be recognised that this was often as a response to
bridge those gaps in services which the department was failing to address.

"It is only right that the community and sector has a role to play in
delivering health services into local communities.

"However, the department must not be permitted to view this as a means to
delivering services at a lower cost, or having such services paid for
through the ability of the community and voluntary sector to access European
and other funding, thus essentially saving the department money.

"Certainly, I believe that when it comes to the planning and coordination of
services, the voluntary and community sector, working alongside staff-side
health service representatives, should have a central role to play in
developing a modern patient- and user- centred service fit for the 21st
century." ENDS